The wife of a New Brighton man accused of fatally shooting his deer-feeding neighbor was acquitted Tuesday in St. Paul of aiding and abetting murder and assault.

Ramsey County District Judge Lezlie Ott Marek said in her decision that prosecutors failed to prove Paula Zumberge had encouraged her husband, Neal, either before or during the shooting that left Todd Stevens dead.

Stevens' longtime girlfriend, Jennifer Damerow-Cleven, 48, had testified that Paula Zumberge egged on her husband, saying, "Shoot him, shoot him!" But no other witnesses said they had heard those or similar words.

And even if she had said such words, prosecutors did not prove that Neal Zumberge would have heard them over the gunshots, the judge wrote in her decision.

Neal Curtis Zumberge (Courtesy of Ramsey County sheriff's office)

Nor did the state prove that Paula Zumberge knew ahead of time what her husband allegedly was going to do May 5, Marek wrote.

Paula Zumberge, 50, was charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, aiding and abetting attempted murder and aiding and abetting assault in the death of Stevens, 46, and Damerow-Cleven's wounding.

Neal Zumberge, 57, has been charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder. His trial is scheduled for Nov. 10.

Witnesses testified that the Zumberges had an ongoing feud with their neighbors across the street on Knollwood Drive. Neal Zumberge told police he had caught Lyme disease from the deer that his neighbors habitually fed in their yard.

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Paula Zumberge's attorney said he was not surprised by the verdict and believed justice was done.

But "nobody's high-fiving each other," Gary Wolf said. "It's been traumatic for everybody. Both families are basically destroyed by this."

Marek related the facts of the case in her order. The dispute between the neighbors began in early 2012 and soon escalated. Stevens and Damerow-Cleven discovered dead animals on their property, including two deer, over the following months. Their wildlife feeder disappeared. They suspected Neal Zumberge.

His behavior became frightening, Damerow-Cleven testified. He threatened her and called her names like "bat (expletive)" and "piggie," she said. She filed for a harassment restraining order against him in April 2013. Paula Zumberge was not included in that order.

Neal Zumberge repeatedly blew an air horn, sometimes at night, after the order was issued. Police were called to the area numerous times.

Days before the killing, Stevens and Damerow-Cleven encountered the Zumberges' son, Jacob, at the Spring Lake Park VFW hall. Jacob Zumberge, 23, told them he was angry over his father's Lyme disease, which he claimed was killing Neal Zumberge. He threatened to kill them and burn down their house. He then shoved Stevens, Damerow-Cleven testified.

The couple left the VFW and called police, who told them to call the next time they saw the young man.

On her way home from work May 5, Damerow-Cleven said, she stopped at Acapulco restaurant in New Brighton, where she saw Jacob Zumberge, his brother Nicholas and another man.

She immediately called police and waited for them to arrest Jacob.

When Damerow-Cleven arrived home about 8:30 that night, Paula Zumberge walked to the edge of the Zumberges' yard. Furious about her son's arrest, she began yelling at Damerow-Cleven, saying, "You (expletive), you put my son in jail!" Damerow-Cleven said.

Stevens came out of the house. As he stood on the doorstep, Neal Zumberge crept around the back of the Zumberge home and fired a shotgun, witnesses said. Stevens was hit in the head and torso and died at the scene.

Paula Zumberge then left in one of the family's vehicles and resisted police efforts to find her.

Prosecutor Anna Christie argued that Paula Zumberge conspired with her husband to "lure" Stevens out of the house and into the ambush.

The judge said "it is clear" that Paula Zumberge initiated a verbal altercation with Damerow-Cleven after her son's arrest.

"The notion that she had an ulterior motive in doing so is a possible theory -- perhaps plausible -- but is not supported by proof beyond a reasonable doubt," Marek wrote.

And while it is true that Paula Zumberge should have called 911 and stayed at the scene after the shooting, "she is not charged with any crime related to these actions or inactions," the judge wrote.

Marek noted that video evidence from cameras mounted on the victims' home was poor in quality. It was not possible to see the defendant's facial expressions at the time of the shooting, and determine whether she looked shocked, the judge said. Witnesses had testified that Paula Zumberge appeared "calm."